Container openers



E. HASLETT CONTAINER OPENERS A ril s, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 27, 1956 INVENTOR. QM

Y .A ril 8, 1958 E. HASLETT CONTAINER OPENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2'7, 1956 INVENTOR.

United Stte This invention relates to container openers, such as for lifting caps or lids that are confined across the mouths of jars and bottles, and for piercing the ends of metal containers in which a gascharged liquid is confined. Such openers are commonly in the form of a bar of metal having one end formed with an angular terminal at the base of which a depending lug is'formed that may be engaged beneath the rim of a cover or bottle cap to lift it. The other end of such a bar commonly has an angular, pointed end at the base of which a lug is struck out, so as to engage beneath a peripheral, marginal flange of a can and serve as a fulcrum when the bar is rocked on the end edge of the can in forcing the pointed end to pierce the end of the can. Heretofore, when a can or container of gas charged liquid was opened by such a tool, the liquid when suddenly relieved of pressure, often gushes out at the opening and may spill over upon ones clothing, a table, or the floor, which is highly objectionable, particularly in homes.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved container opener, which may advantageously be used to open containers of gas-charged liquids, which will catch and largely retain much of the liquid which gushes out of the container under the gas pressure therein, when the pressure is released by the sudden opening of the container, which may be washed and rinsed to remove the caught liquid, which may be made ornamental, which will act as a hand cushion on the bar, and which will be relatively simple, practical, and inexpensive. Another object is to provide an improved container opener, which will be pracfical, simple, and easily performed with a minimum of apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective of an opener constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig.2 is a bottom perspective of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. l; V

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 5 is a plan of the bottom sheet of the same;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the body sheets of the same; and I V Fig. 7 is a top plan of the bar of the same.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the bar 1 is a typical cover lifter and can opener having its ends 2 and 3 bent at an acute angle to the length of the bar. The bar is of flat, sheet, rigid material, such as metal. One angular end 2 is tapered to a point 4, used to pierce the endsof tin cans. Adjacent to the base of this angular end, a tongue 5 is struck downwardly from the body of atent O A similar tongue 6 is struck from the other end of the bar and extends downwardly toward the free end, but terminates a short distance from the dihedral angle at the beginning of the angular end. Both ends, at the dihedral angle between the body of the bar and the angular ends, usually have a small upward hump 7.

A plurality of sheets 8 of absorbent, flexible, and preferably cellular and elastic material having generally the shapes shown in Figs. 4 and 6, are each provided with a wide slit 9 in the interior thereof, but near one edge 10 thereof and extending generally in the same direction from side to side. Another slit 11 is provided in each sheet and extends from an intermediate point in slit 9, generally crosswise thereto, to the lower margin 10 of the sheet 8. The opposite edge 12 is provided with slits 13 extending generally toward the bar 1, dividing the edge 12 into tongues 14, and the free ends of the tongues are preferably tapered for ornamental purposes. I

The sheets 8 are arranged face to face on the bar, the slits 11 enabling the sheets 8 to be slipped over the bar in a direction crosswise thereof. A sheet 15 (see Fig. 5) is provided of a length approximately equal to the length of the bar 1 and has parallel, elongated apertures 16, about equal to the width and thickness of bar 1, near each end. The ends of the bar 1 pass through these apertures 16, with the sheet 15 extending below the bar, which is at the side of the bar where the angular ends 2 and 3 depend. This sheet 15 covers and conceals the lower edges 10 of the sheets 8, and is of flexible, and preferably of elastic, non-absorbent sheet material. The passage of the bar through the apertures 16 in sheet 15, keeps the sheets 8 confinedface to face thereon.

If one desires to make the device attractive or amusing inappearance, the sheets 8 may be of different colors, and a rubber bulb 17 that emits a noise when squeezed may be secured by its neck 18 through a small aperture 19 (see Fig. 5) in one end of sheet 15, which is at the end 3 of the bar 1, so as to overlie the end 3. Marks 20 and 21 may be painted on the bulb to simulate features of an animal head, and thus make the opener a toy also, and enhance its amusing appearance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The sheets 8 may be of any material having the desired properties which are, or may become, available on the market. These sheets are preferably of cellular, absorbent, and flexible material, and among such materials which I have found particularly satisfactory are sheets of cellular polyesters, cellular polyurethane, cellulose sponge, and cellular, absorbent latex. The sheet 15 is preferably impervious to moisture, elastic and non-absorbent, such as of rubber. I have found that cellular, elastic sheet latex with a skin side to make it impervious, is quite satisfactory as are sheets of ordinary elastic latex, and cellular, elastic, closed cell, non-absorbent latex. By latex I intend both natural latex and the various synthetic and imitation latices. The sheet 15 is preferably impervious to moisture so that if any moisture collected by the sheets 8 drains downwardly it will be caught by the sheet 15 and held so as not to wet a surface on which the opener may be placed after use.

The lower edge portions of the sheets 8 preferably extend far enough below the bar 1 to keep the ends 2 and 3 above and out of contact with a surface on which this opener may be placed, which avoids danger of the ends 2 and 3 of the bar from engaging and scratching or otherwise injuring the surface on which the opener may be placed when not in use.

In the manufacture of these openers, a group of the sheets 8 are first assembled face to face, and then the group, while held together in the hand, are flexed laterally of the group in a direction to open theslits 11 together.

The group, while so flexed and held face to face, is then lowered slightly into a solution of an adhesive, preferably a non-retacking, plastic cement. Examples of such ad'- hesives are epoxy-based adhesives, a synthetic polymer Cement made from hydrogene such as sold under the name Polyseam #292 by Anchor Adhesives Corp. of Flushing, New York.

The group is lowered into the adhesive solution enough to coat the lower edges and the surfaces of the slit 11 with the cement. This lowering into the cement is done while the group is flexed in a direction to openthe crack at the slits 11 to a substantial extent. Some of this cement may seep in, to a small extent, between the sheets Sat their lower parts. The group is then, while flexed to open the slits 11, placed over the bar, 1, and then placed upside down one surface. When the cement becomes tacky, which occurs after about ten to fifteen minutes, usually, the sheets 3 are pushed together or compressed as a unit on the bar 1, as shown in Fig. 3, and the cement holds them together as so compressed. This compression of the sheets 8 below the slits 9, causes the upper edges of the sheets 8 to separate and diverge outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3 and overhang somewhat the ends of the bar 1 as shown. The sheet 15 is then applied to the bar by passing one end of the bar through one aperture 16 and then stretching the sheet and passing the other end. of the bar through the other aperture 16, with the sheet 15 below the bar and concealing the lower edges of sheets 8. The

bulb 17 is then placed in position, with its neck passed through and held in the aperture 19 of the sheet 15.

In use, as one tips the bar 1 to lift a cap or. pierce a can top, some of the sheets 8 on. the bar will overlie'the cap or can top, in a position to catch and hold any of the liquid which gushes upwardly as the container is opened.

The device may be washed and squeezed to expel any 4 edge part way to said bar, to form a plurality of closely disposed tongues. p

5. The container opener as set forth in claim 3, and each I of said sheets having aslit from face to face through which said barextends, and also slit from the first mentioned slit to the lower edge of the sheets to enable the sheets to be assembled on the bar in a direction crosswise of the length of the bar.

6. The container as set forth in claim 3, and a sheet of elastic, flexible material impervious to moisture having apertures near its ends through which extend the end portions of said bar, with the last mentioned sheet below the bar when the bar is'used to open a container.

7. A container opener comprising a bar of rigid material having an end formed to mechanically open a container, and a plurality of sheets of absorbent flexible material arranged face to face along said. barywith the bar passing through the interior of said sheets, the sheets being secured together face to face in the areas. thereof along the bar and free in the areas. well above the bar, the free areas being divergent, with the free areas of the sheets adjacent, the. ends overhanging to some extent, the said formed, container-opening end of said bar.

8. The container opener as set forth in claim 7-, and said sheets being formed of cellular, elastic material, com pressed together Where secured face to face adjacent said bar. r

9. The container opener as set forth in claimS, and a sheet of flexible material having an aperture adjacent each end through each of which an end of the bar extends, with this flexible, moisture impervious sheet extending along. the bottom of said bar to conceal the portions of the lower edges of said sheets, that are closely adjacent said: bar.

liquid caught by the sheets 8 and to keep it sanitary. The

sheets 8 also serve as a cushion in the hand when using the bar to open a container. The tongues formed by the slits 13 in the upper edges of sheets 8, serve to increase the available surfaces to receive and. hold any liquid escaping from the opened container.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A container opener comprising a bar of rigid material having an end formed tomechanically open a container, a body of cellular, flexible, absorbent material confined largely to that surface of the bar which is uppermost when the bar is used to open a container, and a sheet of material having apertures through which pass the ends of the bar, with the portion of the sheet between the apertures extending along the bottom of said balm 2. A container opener comprising a rigid bar having an end formed to mechanically open a containen and a body of cellular, flexible, absorbent material, said bar extending throughsaid material, with some of said material dis posed at the said end of said bar, whereby when the bar is used to open a container with gas-charged liquid contents, any of the liquid which at once surges out at the Opem'ng will impinge upon and be largely absorbed by the cellular material.

3. The container opener as set forth in claim 2, and said cellular material being a plurality ofsheets of cellular, absorbent, flexible material arranged face to face, crosswise of and generally normal to the length of the bar.

4. The container opener: as set forth: in claim 3, and

10. The container opener as set forth in claim7, having the portions of said sheets adjacent said bar secured together by a non-retacking adhesive of a material that is unchanged by water.

11. The container opener as set' forth in claim. 7, and

said sheets being formed of cellular, elastic material,.com

pressed together where secured face to face adjacentsaid bar, the portions of said sheets which are adjacent to said. bar being secured together in compressed relation by a non-retacking adhesive of a material thatis unchanged'by water.

12. A container opener comprising. a rigid barhaving an end formed to mechanically open a container, and a body of cellular, flexible absorbent material. extending along the top of said bar for at least the major portion of its length, and secured thereto with some of said material at the said end of said bar, said material beingwider. than,

said bar with some of it extending downwardly pastthe bottom of. the bar to space said bar from asurface on. which the opener may be placed with the barlowermost, whereby when the bar is used, to open a container with gas-charged liquid contents any of the liquid which surges out at once at the opening will impinge. upon. and. be largely absorbed by the cellular material; and said material along the intermediate part of said bar will serve as a soft handle by which the bar may be grasped and manipulated,

to open a container and also serve as a spongeto mopup any spilled liquid.

13. A container opener comprising a rigid bar having:

an end formed to mechanically open a container, and a body of cellular, flexible, absorbent material extending alongand secured against the top of said bar foratleast the major portion of the length of the bar and forming a soft handle therefor with some of said material disposed at said end of said bar, whereby when the bar is.used to open a container with gas-charged liquid contents, and some of the liquid at once surges out at the opening, the escaping liquid will strike and be largely absorbed by the absorbent material, and the portion of said body along said bar intermediate of the'latters'length will serve as a soft handle by which the bar may be-grasped, and manipulated to open a container.

14. A- container opener comprising a rigid bar having an end formed to mechanically open a container, and an integral body of cellular, flexible material extending along, and secured against the top of said bar for at least the major portion of the length of the bar and forming a soft handle for the bar, with some of material disposed at said end of said bar and absorbent, whereby when the bar is used to open a container with gas-charged liquid contents and some of the liquid at once surges out at the opening of the container, such escaping liquid will strike and be largely absorbed by the absorbent end of said body, and said body will serve as a soft handle by which the bar may be grasped and manipulated in opening a container. 15. A container opener comprising a rigid bar having an end formed to mechanically open a container, a body of flexible and manually compressible material substantially encasing said bar to provide a firm soft handle therefor and at least that portion of said material above the said end of the said bar being absorbent, whereby when the bar is used to open a container with gas-charged liquid contents, any of the liquid which at once surges'out at the opening will impinge upon and be largely absorbed by the absorbent material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,082,402 Kusnarowis June 1, 1937 

